Experiences of Female Athletes Competing Against Transgender Athletes

NCAA softball player Kendall Kotzmacher and high school volleyball player Briley Lechner shared their perspectives on competing with transgender athletes. They voiced concerns about competitive fairness, locker room privacy, and the impact on female sports.

Kotzmacher recounted her emotional response after her softball team lost in the semifinals of the Minnesota state tournament. As a senior, she aimed to compete alongside her sister and was disheartened when an opposing team, featuring a male athlete, won the championship. She expressed feelings of abandonment by adults responsible for protecting female athletes.

Kotzmacher learned that legal changes allowed the male athlete to compete in girls’ sports. Administrators and legislators permitted the situation, which affected team dynamics statewide. She questioned why girls were forced to accept these conditions quietly.

Her experience led her to Washington, D.C., where she spoke at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on fairness and safety for female athletes. Kotzmacher described feeling isolated when she spoke publicly about her experiences, emphasizing the disapproval she faced, even from her university.

She argued that girls should not have to compromise their sports opportunities because of decisions favoring boys’ feelings. In college, Kotzmacher faced academic challenges when discussing sex and gender in a sociology class, leading her to transfer to another university for a more supportive environment.

Currently playing at Colorado Christian University, she feels valued and free to share her story. Kotzmacher remains committed to advocating for female athletes and empowering future generations to stand up for their rights in sports.